What Can A Toaster Oven Do For You?

Even though it is easy to assume that toaster ovens are great for just toast, the truth is they can handle a lot more of the cooking tasks generally reserved for a full sized range. Advancements in technology has allowed the toaster oven to transform into a machine that is able to cook, bake, reheat, defrost, roast, and broil with ease. These little powerhouse appliances have allowed many a family to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal in less time and with less hassle. If you hate waiting for your large oven to preheat, or you cannot stand to waste all of that energy on a small meal, having a toaster oven can really make a difference. Before we go deeper into the advantages one of these units can bring to your kitchen, let us quickly cover the different types of ovens on the market today.

Types of Toaster Ovens

If you have been looking at online reviews of the best rated toaster ovens for 2017, you may have noticed that there are a few different types countertop ovens available. Some handle cooking with different technology that can greatly add to how much it may cost. Here is a quick breakdown of some of the more popular types of these small ovens.

Standard

A standard toaster oven can toast up to four slices of bread or sometimes larger ones up to six slices. They have some of Darkness settings and a push lever that is similar to that of a pop-up toaster. Some standard toaster ovens have ejection trays that automatically open up when the toast is complete. They also have thermostats that control the oven’s temperature thus makes it possible for broiling. The coils will turn on and off, in the same way, a full-sized oven will in order to maintain steady temperatures. They are best for baking, toasting and basic warming.

Convection Toaster Ovens

A convection oven uses internal fans to circulate heated air around the food to ensure even cooking . This helps avoids hot spots since it will brown the food at the same rate on all sides. Another advantage is that with convection toaster ovens, food cooks faster due to even heat exposure and the option to set the oven to lower temperatures. It also offers sophistication to cooking choices.

Infrared Ovens

Infrared ovens function in a different way as compared to other toaster ovens. The heat is directly transferred to the food instead of heating the air surrounding it. It also makes the heat available instantly thus preheating becomes unnecessary. With infrared ovens, frozen food can be cooked directly without defrosting it. Exceptional crisping and browning are achieved when cooking with infrared toaster ovens. With, quick cooking and no preheating, a significant amount of energy is saved.

Advantages of Owning a Toaster Oven

Once you decide on what kind of oven best suits your needs you can then start to take advantage of many of the benefits that having one of these in your kitchen can offer you. Below are just some of the ways that cooking with one of these appliances can make a difference in how you cook from now on.

Energy Savings

Toaster ovens consume less electricity as compared to full-sized ovens. They have smaller spaces to heat and therefore, they can quickly reach the selected cooking temperatures thus saves a lot of energy. Studies on the use of toaster ovens have shown that they can save up to one-third energy that a conventional oven uses. Toaster ovens too don’t transfer heat to the rest of the house, therefore; no extra cooling bills are incurred especially during summer.

Versatility

Toaster ovens can handle a number of duties that include toasting, baking, reheating, browning, broiling, roasting and warming. Their sizes notwithstanding, toaster ovens can perform most oven cooking types. Some ovens are in fact the same size as ovens.

Convenience

Toaster ovens are very convenient and most ideal for almost any situation and home. From college dorms, recreational vehicles travelers, or campers with generators even without affording a full-sized can still reap the benefits from toaster ovens. They require very little space and can easily fit the corner of any counter. Most toaster oven models are designed to fit under-cabinet mounts. They can also be kept in the cabinets when not in use.

Clean Up

Toaster ovens are a bit easier to clean as compared to regular ovens. The corners of toaster ovens are significantly easier to reach. It’s cleaning does not require the use of odorous chemicals. Simply unplug the appliance, remove the trays and racks to be washed in the sink. Most toaster ovens have a trap that is used to empty crumbs. Both the exterior and interior can be cleaned up using soapy sponge or rag. However, you should be keen to avoid abrasive materials from exterior finishes. If grease has accumulated on the glass door, it can be scrubbed using a soapy scrubber. A solution of water and vinegar can also do well in cleaning the glass door.

These are just some of the reasons why having a countertop oven in your kitchen makes a lot of sense. Today’s top toaster ovens are great at many things and offer excellent value for amateur chefs. If you love to cook, but don’t like all of the work, then getting one of these small appliances is a must. Oh yeah, they can also make toast!